Mom Faked Cancer for 5 Years

Laura McPherson was dying.

Everyone around her knew it. Chemotherapy. Surgeries. The ticking clock. Her partner drained his bank account in a desperate attempt to give her more time. Her daughter braced for the day she'd have to say goodbye.

For five years, McPherson hung on through hospital trips and tearful updates.

And then McPherson stepped out of a hospital parking lot and took a taxi to another city.

Because McPherson wasn't sick. And never had been.

The Beginning of a Lie

In 2017, McPherson, a British mother-of-two, told her partner Jon Leonard she had been diagnosed with terminal cancers — plural. She had been diagnosed with breast, bowel, colon, ovarian, and cervical cancer. She was receiving treatment both through the UK's National Health Service (NHS) and private clinics.

Leonard, a seasoned charity fundraiser who had raised millions for cancer charities through his company Ultra Events, didn't hesitate. Over the next five years, he transferred nearly £25,000 (about $32,000) to McPherson to help cover her alleged medical expenses. From the beginning, McPherson took photos of herself undergoing chemotherapy and undergoing surgeries, including a hysterectomy and a mastectomy.

Of course, since McPherson was completely healthy, none of that was true.

The photos were staged. Instead of chemotherapy, McPherson used Leonard's money for breast enhancement surgery, overseas spa trips, and weight-loss therapies at private wellness retreats such as Austria's Mayr Clinic.

Through all this time, McPherson also manipulated her pre-teen daughter into believing she was dying. The child's school reportedly contacted Leonard on multiple occasions after the girl broke down in tears, convinced her mother might die.

The Lie Crumbles

Only after years of manipulation did McPherson's story fall apart. In December 2021, Leonard dropped her off at the Royal Derby Hospital, expecting her to undergo cervical cancer treatment. But instead of checking in, McPherson took a taxi to Coventry — roughly 35 miles away.

That moment prompted Leonard to investigate McPherson's claims. To his shock, he learned what his money had actually been funding.

A Painful Fallout

After an investigation beginning in 2022, McPherson eventually pleaded guilty to fraud, admitting her role in the deception but claiming Leonard had been controlling in their relationship.

On March 12, 2025, Derby Crown Court sentenced her to two years of community service, along with a 30-day rehabilitation requirement, a nightly curfew from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. five nights a week, and mandatory probation oversight.

She avoided jail, but a separate hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Acts may force her to forfeit any remaining funds or assets.

During sentencing, Judge Jonathan Straw gave his unrestrained assessment of McPherson. "McPherson, you are a wicked and devious liar who embarked on five years of deceit. It is difficult to imagine how an individual could be so calculated and cruel to those who loved and cared for her," he said.

In an impact statement to the court, also reported on by Yahoo News, Leonard revealed the depth of his hurt stating, "I honestly feel she has stolen years of my life from me. She isolated me from my friends and family and, even since we separated, she has been spreading lies about me. Laura told her daughter she had cancer but would never sit down and explain this to her. For the five years she pretended to have cancer she would tell me she was giving up and not going ahead with treatment. I now realize she was seeking attention."

He continued by saying, "The emotional toll this has had on me is difficult to explain. Her actions have been diabolical, almost everything she told me was a lie, I feel I was deceived in the cruelest way. She has destroyed my faith in humanity."

Through a statement from her lawyer, McPherson expressed regret for her actions.

A Pattern Seen Before

While McPherson's scheme was deeply personal, it wasn't unprecedented. Similar scams have made headlines in recent years.

• In the United States, Amanda C. Riley orchestrated a years-long fraud by claiming to have stage 3 cancer, posting photos of fake chemotherapy sessions, and collecting more than $100,000 in donations. She was eventually sentenced to five years in federal prison for wire fraud.

• Australia's Belle Gibson became an influencer by claiming to have cured her terminal brain cancer through diet and alternative medicine. Her app and cookbook reached global audiences before investigative journalists uncovered the truth — she had never been ill. She was ordered to repay hundreds of thousands of dollars for misleading consumers.

The Laura McPherson case is a stark reminder that not every tragedy is what it seems. And while justice has been served, the scars left behind — in families, in relationships, and in trust — are not so easily erased.

References: Mom Faked Cancer to Swindle Partner Out of $32,000 for 'Treatment,' Spent Money on Breast Surgery: Reports | Mum lied about fighting cancer so she could con boyfriend out of £25k | Mother deceived partner out of £25,000 by faking terminal cancer for five years | Woman Allegedly Faked Cancer, Stole Money for Breast Surgery | Fake cancer battle scam is center of new docuseries 'Scamanda' on ABC and Hulu | Apple Cider Vinegar: How Instagram wellness guru Belle Gibson faked cancer – and caused a scandal